Forbidden Fire
by Pandymonium
Summary: After Hans tries to take over Arendelle and fails Elsa and Anna realize that he has the gift of fire. With a looming war between Arendelle and The kingdom of the Southern Isles will Elsa be able to Work with Hans to defend her kingdom? And will she be able to defend her heart from his red hot charms? Note: I don't own Frozen or its characters.
1. Chapter 1: Fire and Ice

Elsa pushed forward through the stinging wind and snow away from the palace. She knew she had to put as much distance between herself and her former home before her guards realize she was missing. Her pace was slowed by the flurries of snow swirling around her, trying to push her back to her cell and almost certain death. It felt as though even her powers had turned against her. She surveyed her surroundings as she walked. In her foolishness she had turned her beloved fjord into an expanse of frigid, white nothingness. It was her fault, all her fault. She felt the knot of guilt tighten in her chest. The wind blew harder.

"Elsa you can't run from this," she whirled around to see Prince Hans slowly walking towards her. The wind pushed his red hair away from his cold eyes.

"Just take care of my sister," Elsa replied. Her heart ached at the thought of what Anna must be thinking of her now.

"Your sister?" He asked incredulously. "She returned from the mountain weak and cold. She said you froze her heart."

"What? No…"

"I tried to save her but it was too late. Her skin was ice. Her hair turned white." Elsa's heart sank further. "Your sister is dead…because of you." Elsa felt her heart rip apart in her chest. All the grief, the self-hatred, the fear paled in comparison to this. She had failed to protect the one thing she had sworn to herself never to hurt. She sank to her knees. The knot in her chest broke open and instead was replaced with the nothingness of grief. The wind stopped. Snowflakes hung suspended in the air. Elsa knelt to the ground, frozen with grief, as immovable as the frozen fjord below her. She felt Hans looming behind her. She heard him draw his sword but couldn't find it in her to defend herself. She deserved this. She drew a last breath anticipating a swift end. No sword fell however and she felt an unnatural warmth on her back. A warm glow grew brighter behind her. Just when it began to feel unnaturally hot she heard a cry behind her.

"No!" shrieked Anna as she threw herself between Hans and her sister. Flames coursed from where Hans was standing and licked furiously around Anna's body. Elsa reacted at once, sending a burst of ice at the source of the flames. They immediately ceased. The smoke cleared to reveal a startling sight. Anna's body was frozen in fear before Elsa. Her skin was blue and crystalline; Her face was frozen mid cry. The fire had melted off her outstretched hand but had stopped before doing any more damage. Elsa stood in front of her frozen, baby sister. She reached out her hand and tentatively caressed her frozen face. Elsa fell onto Anna in a stiff embrace. She hadn't touched her sister in 18 years but now she clung to her icy form.

"I'm so sorry Anna," she sobbed. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Kristoff looking at them with disbelief. Olaf sat bereft looking at what was left of his first friend. Elsa held Anna tightly hoping she could somehow atone for all those years she had stayed away. She wished she could tell Anna how hard it had been, how sad it had made her to stay away, how she would take it all back if only Anna would come back to her. She wished for the first time to feel the cold, to feel her baby sister and not feel so numb. As she wished this Anna's body started to warm. Her stiff limbs became soft and and all the ice melted away.

"Wha- Anna?" Elsa asked unbelieving of what she was seeing.

Anna whimpered in pain as her arm thawed. Her outstretched arm thawed and began to bleed and she cried out in pain. Elsa quickly froze the flesh and laid Anna down on the ground. She created a small pillow of snow to rest her head on. Anna whimpered softly. Kristoff ran over to them and grabbed Anna's other hand, holding it close to his heart. She smiled up at him. Olaf stood over her protectively and Elsa stroked her hair

"You sacrificed yourself for me?" She asked.

"I love you," Anna said weakly. Olaf gasped.

"An act of true love will thaw a frozen heart." He exclaimed happily.

"Love will thaw," Elsa said cautiously. "Of course. Love," with growing confidence she let go of all her fears that had plagued her since she was a little girl. Anna loved her. She let that feeling course through her body. Anna loved her. As she let go the fjord around them began to melt. Anna loved her. The snow disappeared from the grind and the dark clouds above the dispersed. A large ship that had been trapped under the icy fjord came up from underneath them and they floated safely as Elsa melted the snow around them. Arendelle returned to normal. The newly emerged sun glittered and danced on the thawed fjord. Anna lay on Kristoff's lap cradling her injured arm. He held her close, whispering reassurance that everything's no would be alright. Behind her Elsa heard a pained grunt. She turned and saw Hans slumped over on the deck, his body lay at an unnatural angle. He stirred gently. She walked towards him hesitantly and leaned over his unconscious body. Elsa reached out to see if he was alright. His skin felt hot against hers like he was burning from the inside. He stirred slightly at her touch. With a jolt his eyes sprang open and he sat bolt upright, grabbing Elsa's outstretched arm. His grasp burnt her like a hot iron and she cried out in surprise and pain. Hans pulled her close to him, a pained look on his face and a wild look in his eyes.

"You froze my heart." He whispered in disbelief and then sank back into unconsciousness.


	2. Chapter 2: Lost Memories

Elsa awoke early to the sound of knocking on her bedroom door. She opened her eyes sleepily. Light crept in through the cracks in the drawn curtains and fell in long stripes on the floor. She looked over at Anna's sleeping form and smiled. Ever since she had returned to the palace they had gone back to sharing their childhood room. It was one of Elsa's many attempts to make up for all the time they had lost. Anna was still fast asleep, oblivious to the knocking. Her hair was a tangled mess and she was drooling slightly. The knocking came again, louder this time. Elsa got up, donned her robe and admitted the servant at the door. She brought in a tray with two platters filled with breakfast for the sisters and placed it on a small table next to Anna's smell of freshly cooked eggs and bacon was enough to stir Anna from her sleep. She sat up groggily as the servant exited as quickly as she had come.

"Good morning snowflake," Elsa said, walking over to where Anna was still waking up. She set the tray in Anna's lap, wafting the smell towards her sleepy sister.

"Mmm...issbreakfast.." Anna mumbled happily. They had breakfast together, Anna in her bed and Elsa sitting at the table next to her. The doctor who was taking care of Anna insisted she spend as little time doing physical activity as possible, which meant the two of them spent a lot of time sitting just like this. Being frozen had taken quite a toll on Anna and, though she would never admit it, she was grateful for the time to heal. She was improving fast however. Yesterday she had been allowed to take a stroll in the gardens with Kristoff before being escorted back to bed. Her arm had started healing nicely, although having one hand was taking some time for her to get used to.

"I have a surprise for you," Elsa said when they had finished eating. She took Anna's good hand and held it in hers. She stroked her fingers. They were warm against her permanently cold skin.

"Elsa, I know you still feel guilty but you don't have to keep trying to make it up to me," Anna replied, squeezing her hand back. "I forgive you. "

"I know, I know. But I think you're going to like this," She gestured to Anna to show her her injured arm. She held it out warily towards her sister. Elsa sent a stream of blue, shimmering magic towards where her hand used to be. Slowly the magic built a delicate hand of ice, identical to the original. Anna held it out in disbelief. She gently flexed her crystal fingers. It moved as natural as one made of flesh and bone.

"Elsa I…" She started but was lost for words.

"I told you you would like it," Elsa said, smiling at her sister.

"Thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you!" Anna said and grabbed Elsa in a tight embrace.

They spent the morning together. Anna read and Elsa worked over piles of documents that comprised her queenly duties. The chatted and laughed and just enjoyed each other's company. Their peace was disturbed however when one of Elsa's attendants burst into their room with a worried air.

"My Queen, he's awake," the attendant exclaimed breathless from running. Elsa stood to follow the man out of the room.

"I'm sorry Anna, I'll be back soon I promise," she followed the him hurriedly out of their room before Anna could protest. The attendant led her down to the dungeon where Prince Hans was being kept under close scrutiny. The damp, chill walls made her shudder. Not to long ago she had been locked up down here, a slave to her fear and her power. The memory still made her cringe. The descended several flights of stairs and journeyed down a long corridor. The finally came to a cell surrounded by both guards and some of Elsa's advisors who had beaten her there. They all bowed their heads when she approached and she acknowledged them all with a nod.

"My Queen, are you sure this is wise? We don't know what power he possesses and if anything happened to you -" one advisor started to protest.

"He won't try anything against me," Elsa replied quickly. "We are too evenly matched. Plus he may be more willing to talk if I go in alone," they had had this debate over and over again for the past few weeks. Elsa knew that when Hans woke up he would be more willing to talk to her than any of her companions. This was something she had to do alone. She nodded at the guard closest to the door. He unlocked it and admitted her in before shutting it tightly. The room was small and dark with only a small, barred window providing any light. Hans sat on the only bench in the room. Disheveled and weary he lay with both hands chained together in shackles that covered his hands. Much like those that had held Elsa not so long ago. She was taken back to the night she had woken up chained in the exact same way, confused and alone. He sat up when she entered. He looked confused.

"Queen Elsa, you've returned." He said uncertainly. She regarded him with a look of disdain. "Have I done something to upset you?"

"You tried to kill me, more importantly you tried to kill Anna. So yes I am quite upset with you," she answered stiffly. Hans' brow wrinkled with confusion.

"You must be mistaken, I would never hurt Anna. I love her. Please tell me what's happened. Why am I chained up? Where is Anna?" He asked, his voice raised in desperation.

"You mean to tell me," Elsa started, "that you have no idea what took place on the day of my capture?"

"Your capture? My Queen, I wasn't even aware you had come back. The last thing I remember was the night after Anna had left to find you. A group of trolls had come to speak with me and then… Well that's as far as my memory goes. Then I woke up here. Please you must believe me."

Trolls? Elsa thought to herself. Hadn't Anna told her something about Kristoff being raised by trolls? Anna had laughed when she recalled her time with the trolls and how they had been adamant that she and Kristoff were destined to be together. Then she remembered what Pabbie, the leader of the trolls living near Arendelle, had said to her dismayed parents all those years ago.

The heart is not so easily changed, but the head can be persuaded.

What if- no that's impossible. They wouldn't do that… Would they?

"I will take you at your word, for now," she said uncertainty . Hans' posture relaxed. Then he tensed in apprehension for his next question. The question he dreaded asking.

"What did I do?"


	3. Chapter 3: Embers of the Past

Eight year old Hans ran through the halls of the palace, vaulting over furniture and bumping into servants going about their business. He grinned as his feet hit the cold, marble floors, carrying him towards his destination. He slid to a stop in front of his brother Franz' door. He pushed on the heavy, brown oak door. After a good deal of pushing it swung open in a large arc admitting the small boy. Three of his brothers were huddled together, deep in conversation. They were all much older than him, strong and tall. The all sported the same bright red hair and defined jaws that flexed as they spoke. They ignored little Hans when he entered and continued their conversation in lowered tones.

"Franz, Caleb, look," he said excitedly. He pulled on their tunics, trying to get their attention. "Look what I can do!" They continued to ignore him and tightened their circle. Cake pushed him aside when he tugged hard on his jacket and Hans backed away sadly. He would have to wait until they were done. He sulked and pouted while the older boys talked. Their tones were hushed and Hans couldn't strained to hear what they said. Finally they broke apart and started towards the door, chatting idly.

"You're done!" Hans dashed in front of the exit, blocking it. His brothers tried to sidestep him but his nimbly blocked their path. They looked down at him, vaguely disgusted. Hans was nothing but a nuisance in their eyes. "Now look."

"Get out of the way Hans," Caleb spat and pushes him to the ground away from the door. He hit the ground hard, producing a large thud. The other two laughed as Hans stood up,his lip quivering.

"You never pay any attention to me," they continued to laugh. Hans felt fat, hot tears forming under his eyes. "You don't care about me, but you will."

"And what makes you so sure, little brother?" Franz asked. He grabbed Hans cheeks and leaned down so their faces were inches apart. "You are nothing but irritation to me and a pathetic excuse for a brother." Franz withdrew his face and released his grip from Hans with a shove. Hans felt white hot with anger. It built inside of his chest and flowed coursed throughout his body, tingling his fingers and flushing his pudgy face. It built to a point where Hand felt it would physically consume him and he pushed it outwards towards his brother with an outraged cry. Why don't they ever listen to me? Golden flames, fueled by anger, traveled from inside of Hans and towards the unsuspecting Franz. It danced up his leg and engulfed it and he screamed as it singed his skin. The shrill noise hit Hans ears with a jolt. His anger subsided and the fire disappeared as quickly as it had come leaving Franz moaning on the floor.

"What have you done?" Caleb said in horror. He looked at Hans in fear and disgust.

"I didn't mean to," Hans sobbed. The tears that had been building flowed freely down his cheeks, a great, silver river. He looked at his brothers burnt skin and was horrified with himself. He was a monster. He had just wanted to show his brothers that he could control the flames in the fireplace. Franz groaned loudly and shot him a look of pure hatred. "You wouldn't listen."

Hans now sat in a dungeon in Arendelle, shackled to a wall, accused of trying to kill the woman he loved. Elsa finished recounting his crimes and fell silent. He kept trying to think back to what had happened but where the memory should have been the was only emptiness. It was as if they had been cut out and now there was a gaping hole. He looked over at Elsa sitting next to him. Her blue gown gave off a small glow in the dark room and it's gleeful sparkes contrasted heavily against the dark walls of his cell. Hans' heart felt heavy with guilt to think that he had imprisoned her here once. Something so beautiful should never be kept in a cage he thought. So beautiful…

"There's no possible way to apologize for what's happened," he started earnestly. "But please believe me when I tell you I never meant no harm you or Anna." He moved to put his hand on hers but was caught abruptly by the chain that connected him to the wall. It rattled and groaned as he pulled it taut against its anchor on the wall. Hans scowled and rested his hands in his lap dejectedly. She watched as he struggled and rested her hand on his instead. A comforting chill spread through the metal to his hands as she touched it.

"I will return to talk with you soon. There are some things I must look into ," she said. Her hand fell from his shackles leaving a delicate layer of glittering ice. She stood and made her way to the door. She knocked twice and it opened. Dim light fell through the crack and lit her face as she made to leave.

"Wait Elsa," Hans shouted after her. "Please tell Anna…," he paused. What could he say to articulate just how sorry he was for what she went through? Words failed to comprehend the guilt he felt at the thought of her suffering and no excuse would ever atone for his actions . "Just tell her I'm sorry," he finally said.

"I will," the door shut behind the ice queen, taking her lovely glow with it and leaving Hans alone in encroaching darkness.


End file.
